(Camden's POV)

"Just let me fix it."

"You're choking me!"

"I am not, you big baby."

Oliver distracts me from adjusting his tie by placing a gentle, but firm, kiss on my lips. When I've fully melted into him, all thoughts of ties and dinner parties far from my mind, he makes his escape.

"Oliver! What the fuck!" I yell after him, but I can't stop laughing.

I run down the stairs after him, but he's nowhere to be found. I take slow, silent steps towards the living room, listening for any little sound from him. My pulse races as excitement courses through me.

Ever since Oliver came out of that club, bloody and a little battered, but alive, he's been a whole new person. He's become more relaxed and carefree. He spends time with me, doesn't hide away in his office all day. There's a light in his eyes that I haven't seen since we were kids.

He still won't tell me what happened between him and Jasper- though I have a few ideas- but I decided not to press the issue. He said Jasper wouldn't be a problem anymore and that was good enough enough for me.

I step carefully over the haphazardly stacked boxes and packing supplies as I scan the living room. It was mostly bare now and the view was bittersweet.

After the incident with Smith, Oliver had the house scrubbed cleaned before I was even willing to come back. No one would ever be able to tell what had happened- whoever was in charge of disposing of all the... evidence had made sure of that. But still, I couldn't walk down the bedroom hallway without getting chills or wander into the kitchen without anxiety creeping over me, so Oliver decided it was time to move.

I was glad, but there were still so many good memories made in this house since I came back from school. It would be hard to let it all go.

I shake the memories, both good and bad, from my mind and focus on the mission at hand. I press my back against the wall as I inch my way towards the kitchen, trying peek my head around the corner in the hopes that I might see him before he sees me.

Nothing.

"Gotcha!"

I squeal as a large pair of arms wraps tightly around me, pulling me back into Oliver's chest.

"No fair! Where the hell were you even hiding!" I cry out as I struggle against him.

He turns me around to face him, keeping his arms curled around my waist. He smiles down at me, a bright, full smile, and there's a mischievous look in his eyes.

"I can't give away all my secrets just yet," he winks.

"Fine, but for that, I'm making you sit right next to my dad," I pout back as I reach up to adjust his tie for the third time.

I roll my eyes when I realize he must have loosened it again while he was hiding from me.

"No way. You know Joe always keeps a pistol on him, and he still hasn't forgiven me for the whole hospital thing. He hates me."

"No, he doesn't hate you for what happened at the hospital," I smile sweetly up at him. "He hates you because you're fucking his only daughter."

Oliver's shoulders slump and he groans at me, his expression an equal mix of shock and horror.

"I'm going to get shot tonight," he despairs.

I try to cover my laughter with a cough, but he narrows his eyes at me.

"You took down probably the most evil person I've ever met with relative ease, but you're worried about my old ass dad? The man you used to work for, remember? You need to get your priorities straight."

"It was different when he was my boss and I wasn't sleeping with his daughter, and I was scared of him then, too. You're severely underestimating him if you think he can't, or won't, hurt me," he says as we make our way outside.

He opens the passenger door of his Chevelle for me before getting in himself.

"Oh, I know he can. And that broken nose would have healed a lot better, too, if you had gone to a doctor like I told you to."

My little trip to the hospital seemed like a lifetime ago. Oliver's nose had actually healed quite nicely from when my father had broken it, but had set just slightly crooked from Lydia's patch job on it.

"You're going to hate me..." he grumbles as we pull into the driveway.

I already know where he's going with this.

"You can have one cigarette. Then you have to do your boyfriend duties and come have dinner with my family. At least your parents will be there as a buffer."

"Fine."

He holds his pinky out to me and I take it with my own before kissing his cheek and heading inside.

The dinner itself goes better than expected. My dad only threatened to hurt Oliver twice before the appetizers came out, and after a few hours and several beers, they were laughing and joking like old friends.

They did end up excusing themselves early to go talk business in the office with Oliver's dad, but I can't really be too mad at him. He's been on his best behavior for most of the night.

By the time we're ready to leave, I'm completely exhausted and barely able to keep my eyes open.

"I think we hugged our parents goodbye at least forty times," I whine.

"I think it was closer to sixty. I forgot how much of a hugger your mom is. It wasn't so bad though. I mean, at least your dad doesn't want to have me murdered anymore," Oliver responds cheerfully.

I let out a small laugh, but sleep is quickly closing in on me. I vaguely hear my phone ringing, but it's not enough to stir me.

"I don't know, Mar, she's sleeping. You know how she gets when she's tired. Yeah, I guess we can stop by for a little, but if she's grumpy the whole night, don't say I didn't warn you."

I mumble incoherently to Oliver, begging him not to tell me whatever it is he's about to tell me.

"Cam."

"No."

"Cammie, come on. Marley has some big news she wants to share with us."

"She knows where we live. Tell her to come by during business hours," I mutter.

"I think we should at least stop by."

"Ugh. Fine. I hate you both."

I sit up straight, trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes.

"It better be good or I'm going to kick Marley's ass."

We pull up to Oliver's bar and my anger with Marley grows. She woke me up to drink with her?

I storm inside before Oliver even has a chance to get out of his seat and immediately spot her mop of green hair.

"Mar," I yell in her direction.

She whips her head around and barrels towards me before crushing me in a hug. There's a huge smile on her face and her mascara is smudged down her cheeks, a sure sign that she's been crying.

"Are you okay? What happened?" I ask, wiping the makeup away.

My concern for her instantly replaces my anger. She doesn't say anything- she's too busy giggling to say anything. Instead, she simply holds up her left hand to show me the gorgeous new ring sitting on her finger.

"Oh my fucking god! Congratulations, babe!"

We're both jumping up and down with excitement, and before I can stop myself, I'm crying, too.

"My little Marley is all grown up!"

"Was it worth waking you up for?" She beams back.

"Of course it was!"

I hug her again before letting her lead me back to the table where the rest of the group is sitting. I hug and congratulate Mila and say hi to everyone before sitting next to Oliver.

He wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, placing a soft kiss on my temple. I smile softly up at him as Marley continues gushing to everyone about the proposal.

"Don't worry, yours is coming soon. And it'll be much bigger," Oliver whispers into my ear.

I smack his chest playfully and roll my eyes at him.

"You know I don't want anything crazy. I'll say no if you buy anything too obnoxious."

"I'll keep that in mind. I love you, Camden Foster."

"I love you, too, Oliver Pierce."

And I did.

Despite the danger that seemed to always find him and the chaos that always inevitably followed, I love this man as much as I did when we were eighteen.

With my whole fucking heart.